Method and apparatus for injecting fluid into meat products

ABSTRACT

A method for injecting fluid into meat products comprises taking a plurality of hollow fluid injection needles having sharpened discharge ends, and connecting the needles to a source of pressurized liquid; penetrating the sharpened ends of the needles into the product and thence withdrawing the same while discharging fluid into the product and vibrating the needles for a period of time while they are within the product to enlarge the size of a penetration hole within the product caused by the penetration of the needles to a size greater than the size of the needles to create at least a partial space around the needles to permit fluid from the needles to migrate into the spaces around the needles. The needles have a roughened outside surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] It is common to inject brine or similar fluids into meat productsfor purposes of preservation and flavoring. Many machines have beendevised which have a battery of reciprocal needles which are adapted topenetrate meat products and are adapted to inject fluid into the meatproducts through the needles. However, at times, the injected fluid doesnot pass into the meat in a uniform manner.

[0002] It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide ameat injection machine that will enhance and facilitate the uniformmigration of fluid as injected into a meat product.

[0003] A further object of this invention is to provide a meat injectionmachine that will vibrate the needles which penetrates the meat productto create an enlarged penetration hole wherein the fluid can surroundthe needle to facilitate its migration into the product.

[0004] These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A method for injecting fluid into meat products comprises takinga plurality of hollow fluid injection needles having sharpened dischargeends, and connecting the needles to a source of pressurized liquid;penetrating the sharpened ends of the needles into the product andthence withdrawing the same while discharging fluid into the product andvibrating the needles for a period of time while they are within theproduct to enlarge the size of a penetration hole within the productcaused by the penetration of the needles to a size greater than the sizeof the needles to create at least a partial space around the needles topermit fluid from the needles to migrate into the spaces around theneedles to facilitate the dispersion of the fluid into the meat product.The vibration continues at least as long as the needles are in the meat.The needles have a roughened outside surface to facilitate the creationof the enlarged size of the penetration hole.

[0006] An apparatus for injecting fluid into meat products comprises aframe, an injection head having a plurality of downwardly extendinghollow fluid injection needles having sharpened lower fluid dischargeends to penetrate a meat product for injecting fluid therein, with asource of pressurized fluid connected to the needles, the inventioncomprising, a vibrating mechanism on the machine operatively connectedto the needles to cause the needles to vibrate as they penetrate a meatproduct to create at least a partial space around the needles to permitfluid from the needles to migrate into the spaces around the needles tofacilitate the dispersion of the fluid into the meat product.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0007] The terms “meat” or “meat products” used herein shall pertain tomeat, fish, and poultry products as well as any other food stuff that issubject to being injected by the means of needles penetrating theproduct in question.

[0008] With reference to FIG. 1, a meat injection machine 10 has a frame12 and a conventional horizontal continuous conveyor 14. An injectionassembly 15 is positioned over the conveyor and includes a needle head16 comprised of a plurality of needles as will be described hereafter.The needle head includes fluid reservoir 18 which includes aconventional pump or the like to provide pressurized fluid, such as saltbrine, to the needles. The injection assembly 15 is supported on a pairof pivotal arms 19 which are pivotally connected at one end to the frameand are connected to the other end to the injection assembly. The upperends of the arms 19 are pivoted about the lower ends thereof bypneumatic cylinders or the like 19A coupled to the upper ends of thearms by brackets 19B.

[0009] The numeral 20 designates the injection needles which areconventionally hollow so as to pass fluid therethrough. The needles areslidably mounted within the needle cylinders 21, and the fluidconventionally used in the injection assembly is forcible moved throughthe lower discharge ends 22 of the needles. The outer surface of theneedles 24 is of a roughened texture to tear or otherwise generate alarger penetrating hole in the meat product as will be discussedhereafter.

[0010] A conventional vibrating mechanism 26 used in other environmentsis attached to the injection assembly 15 in any convenient way.Resilient support elements 28 extend from the vibrating mechanism 26 andare connected to the needle head 16 so as to be able to impart vibrationmotion to the needles. The vibrating mechanism is preferably generatedby electromagnets. A conventional electro-permanent magnetic drivevibrator suitable for use in this invention is the Eriez Model 20N BinVibrator available through Industrial Motion Technologies, Inc. of Erie,Pa.

[0011] A plurality of meat products 30, such as bacon slabs, are movedsequentially underneath the needle head 16. When a given slab of meat 30is beneath the needle head, the arms 19 are actuated in conventionalfashion (see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,744) to cause the needlesto move downwardly towards the meat product 30. When the downward actionof the needle head 15 engages the meat (see FIG. 4) the needle 20extends out of the needle cylinder 21 and penetrates the meat. Becauseof the rough texture 24 on the outer surface of the needle and becauseof the lateral vibration imposed on the needle by the vibratingmechanism 26, an irregular penetrating hole 32 is created in the meatproduct (FIG. 4). The irregular penetrating hole is larger in size, andparticularly larger in diameter, than the needles 20 so as to create aspace 34 around the needles.

[0012] As the fluid is discharged from the lower end 21 of the needles,the fluid tends to flow upwardly into the space 32 around the outersurface 24 of the needle 20. The space 34 filled with fluid facilitatesthe uniform migration of the fluid throughout the thickness of the meatproduct. This action greatly facilitates the uniform distribution offluid into the meat product.

[0013] It is therefore seen that this invention will achieve at leastall of its stated objectives.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of injecting fluid into a meat product,comprising, taking a plurality of hollow fluid injection needles havingsharpened discharge ends, connecting the needles to a source ofpressurized liquid; penetrating the sharpened ends of the needles intothe meat product and thence withdrawing the same while discharging fluidinto the meat product; and vibrating the needles for a period of timewhile they are within the meat product to enlarge the size of apenetration hole within the meat product caused by the penetration ofthe needles to a size greater than the size of the needles to create atleast a partial space around the needles to permit fluid from theneedles to migrate into the spaces around the needles to facilitate thedispersion of the fluid into the meat product.
 2. The method of claim 1wherein the period of time is at least as long as the duration of timethat the needles are in the meat product.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein the needles have a roughened outside surface to facilitate thecreation of the enlarged size of the penetration hole.
 4. A meatinjection machine comprising a frame, an injection head having aplurality of downwardly extending hollow fluid injection needles havingsharpened lower fluid discharge ends to penetrate a meat product forinjecting fluid therein, with a source of pressurized fluid connected tothe needles, the invention comprising, a vibrating mechanism on themachine operatively connected to the needles to cause the needles tovibrate as they penetrate a meat product to create at least a partialspace around the needles to permit fluid from the needles to migrateinto the spaces around the needles to facilitate the dispersion of thefluid into the meat product.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein theneedles have a roughened outside surface to facilitate the creation ofthe enlarged size of the penetration hole.
 6. The method of claim 3wherein the needles vibrate laterally with respect to a longitudinalaxis of the needles.
 7. A meat injection needle, comprising, anelongated hollow needle body having a fluid inlet end and a sharpeneddischarge end, the needle body having a roughened outside surface tocreate a penetration hole in a meat product larger than the needle bodyitself to create a space around the needle for fluid migration when theneedle is penetrated into a meat product while pressurized fluid isdischarged through the sharpened discharge end.